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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25846123">Rise &amp; Shine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drosselmeyer/pseuds/Drosselmeyer'>Drosselmeyer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Married, Magical, Mundane Life [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Banter, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Married Banter, Married Life, Mates, Modern Era, Old Married Couple, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:14:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,399</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25846123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drosselmeyer/pseuds/Drosselmeyer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the Lord of the West isn't a morning person, and Kagome deals with that side of him...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Higurashi Kagome &amp; Sesshoumaru, Higurashi Kagome/Sesshoumaru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Married, Magical, Mundane Life [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754086</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>157</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Fics in the Time of Coronavirus, Sesskag Fluff - Domestic Fluff and Family Feels</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rise &amp; Shine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagome knew the smell of coffee would wake him, but what she expected stopped there.</p><p>As she finished frying up an omelette, the muted shuffle of slipper covered feet swept across the floor, and she smiled. “Morning, Sunshine.”</p><p>The irritated grumble behind her was laughably predictable, as was the striped wrist reaching over her head for a favorite mug.</p><p>“I take it you didn’t sleep well?” Lightly scratching the tip of her finger along one of those stripes, she picked up the coffee pot and went to turn around. “At least it’s your day off. We can relax and—<em>whoa!”</em></p><p>Narrowed, red eyes looked back at her.</p><p>Barely keeping the coffee from spilling, Kagome slammed a hand against her chest, trying to calm her thundering heart. “<em>Don’t </em>do that to me!”</p><p>The left side of his lip curled up in a snarl as he took the pot, poured himself a steaming cup, and then retreated to the kitchen table to finish waking up.</p><p>Kagome watched him, wise enough to keep the humor she found in the situation under wraps. He was a mess. Bed head, too-long teeth, untied robe, only boxers under that robe, two different slippers on his feet…</p><p>And she didn’t miss the way those red eyes kept glaring at her over the rim of his mug.</p><p>Arching her brow in imitation of his all-too-familiar look, she placed a hand on her hip. “You gonna leash it?”</p><p>Another growl.</p><p>“Okay then.” Rolling her eyes, she ignored the continued snarling and turned back to finishing their breakfast. It had taken nearly two decades after their mating for Sesshoumaru to reveal just how severely he took the idea of not being a morning person, and in truth, the reality had come as a bit of a shock.</p><p>It still could.</p><p>
  <em>Should’ve known. There’s a moon on his brow—not sunshine and sparkles.</em>
</p><p>The sudden image of that moon being replaced with a smiling sun jumped in her head, and she had to hold back a laugh. Definitely not something he would appreciate, especially right now.</p><p>Slicing the omelette, Kagome plated it and carried their breakfast over to the table, setting his plate down with a light clatter in front of him. “Eat that. You’ll feel better.”</p><p>
  <em>Growl.</em>
</p><p>“Oh, stop it.” She grabbed his face, tilted his chin up, and kissed his fangy, grumbly mouth. “You’re all bark and no bite.”</p><p>His teeth snapped half-heartedly in her direction, and she glared down at him. “Seriously?”</p><p>
  <em>Hiss.</em>
</p><p>“For the love of…what are you? A cat?” Ignoring the grouchy look on his face, she sat across from him and dug into her breakfast. She had to press her lips together when frizzy, silver snarls landed in his plate</p><p>Gods, did that man get bed head.</p><p>
  <em>Man? Youkai, male…oh, whatever. He’s my man.</em>
</p><p>She snickered as he picked his hair off his plate, earning another growl from across the table. Unable to resist, she growled back, laughing out loud when he bared his fangs.</p><p>
  <em>My moody, otherworldly man.</em>
</p><p>Said man (youkai, male…whatever) stabbed at his omelette.</p><p>Kagome’s good humor disappeared, not appreciating his attempts to slaughter her culinary efforts. “You can’t kill it, Sesshoumaru. It was never sentient.”</p><p>Draining his coffee, he stabbed harder.</p><p>“That’s it.” Irritation boiling underneath her skin, she pointed her fork across the table. “This”—she waved her utensil at the living, breathing disaster she was mated to—"has been every other day for the last month. From now on, if you waltz in here looking like some feral wildebeest without even saying good morning, I’m not going to—”</p><p>“<em>Tch.”</em></p><p>Her back went ramrod straight, eyes widening before they narrowed. “<em>Excuse</em> me?”</p><p>Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the opportunity to have it out with him never came. Despite her irritation, the sudden sight of his head cocking to the side, red eyes distant and his ear trained toward the window as something outside caught his attention, was enough to stay her immediate inclination for a row.</p><p>With a quick roll of her shoulders to ease the gathered tension, Kagome leaned forward. “Sesshoumaru, what—?”</p><p>“Shhh<em>.”</em></p><p>The penchant for a fight crept back in. “I know you didn’t just shush me.”</p><p>“<em>Shhh!”</em></p><p>Before Kagome could launch World War III over the breakfast nook, his eyes faded back to gold, and the elongated teeth shrunk back down to their normal size.</p><p>“Miss May is coming."</p><p>Flopping back into her chair, her eyes widened. “What?”</p><p>“Miss May.” His nose lifted slightly, and she watched the subtle flare of his nostrils as he caught scent of something. “And baked goods.” His nose wrinkled a bit. “I smell pineapple.”</p><p>Child-like excitement suddenly stirred in her belly.</p><p>“What about cream cheese frosting?”</p><p>He nodded. “And cinnamon.”</p><p>Kagome’s eyes sparkled. “It has to be her hummingbird cake.”</p><p>“Why would it be called a hummingbird cake?” Sesshoumaru frowned, eyes darting to the window. “It is spices and fruit.”</p><p>“Doesn’t matter. It’s delicious” Kagome pushed out her chair and then walked over and grabbed him by the hands, pulling him up. “You go hide.”</p><p>“I beg your pardon?”</p><p>A delicate knock rapped against the front door, and Kagome pushed him out through the living room toward their bedroom. “No wildebeests allowed. You’ll frighten the locals.”</p><p>“I am not a wilde—”</p><p>She shoved his scowling self through their bedroom door and closed it with a click. “Half-naked, cranky wildebeest!”</p><p>Yet another growl echoed from the other side of the door followed by the sound of the shower flicking on, and Kagome smiled, reaching up to straighten her hair as she went to let her neighbor inside.</p><p>When she opened the front door, an old face with a kind, youthful smile looked back at her. “Good morning, precious girl.”</p><p>Kagome’s grin widened, and she reached out and took May’s hand, helping her over the threshold. “You’re out and about awfully early today,” she said, conscious to avoid knocking the covered basket as she folded the frail woman into a hug.</p><p>“Oh, you know. So few hours in a day.” May rubbed at her back and gave her a light squeeze before pulling back. “I’m having lunch with the other ladies a bit later, but I wanted to bring this over before I forgot.”</p><p>Kagome’s eyes softened as her older friend patted the basket in her hands. “You know you don’t have to do that, Miss May.”</p><p>“And you know I will anyway. Besides, it’s not good for my blood sugar to eat everything I bake. And I like to bake, so it’s better to share than quit what I enjoy.”</p><p>Laughing, Kagome helped her with the basket and led her into the kitchen. “Well, we certainly won’t complain.”</p><p>“That’s a good girl.”</p><p>The older woman set to unpacking her basket, and Kagome reveled in the scent of gardenias, vanilla, and sugar that always seemed to follow in her wake. May was part of why she loved living here. Before they had even finished moving in, she had arrived with supper and smiling face, welcoming them. And not ever having had grandchildren of her own, she became quickly attached to both her and Sesshoumaru, and they likewise were attached to her.</p><p>“Can I get you some tea? Coffee?” Kagome opened the cabinet for a cup.</p><p>“It’s alright. I can’t stay but a minute.”</p><p>Flashing a grin over her shoulder, Kagome snatched down a portable tumbler. “How about some sweet tea to go? It’s hot out there.”</p><p>May smiled at her. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”</p><p>Humming pleasantly, she pulled out the pitcher of the sweet drink. She personally didn’t care for sweet tea, and Sesshoumaru wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. But May enjoyed a glass, so Kagome kept it made fresh since the older woman visited frequently.</p><p>“Thank you, Dear,” May said when she handed her the glass. “Now, there’s some fresh bread, some strawberry freezer jam—make sure you actually freeze it if you don’t use it up in a couple of weeks—about half of a hummingbird cake, and a dozen or so cookies.”</p><p>“You’ve been baking up a storm.” Kagome peered at the spread out on the counter and shook her head. “You spoil us but thank you. It looks wonderful.”</p><p>“Well, I’m glad to spoil.” She took a sip of the tea, and her eyes lit up a bit. “It’s very good, Sweetheart.”</p><p>Kagome winked. “I learned from the best.”</p><p>A rustling near the kitchen entrance caught May’s attention, and she looked over, eyes brightening and a smile lighting her face. “There you are!”</p><p>When Kagome looked up, her jaw dropped.</p><p>Sesshoumaru, freshly showered and the picture of presentable, walked in and bent to kiss May’s cheek. “Miss May.” His voice, low and smooth, rumbled pleasantly as he spoke. “How are you?”</p><p>Ignoring their conversation, Kagome just stared, eyes darting up and down as they took in the Henley, slacks, and neat, clean hair clipped back in a low tail. <em>Where’s my wildebeest?</em></p><p>“…there’s plenty to last you and your sweet wife a few days…”</p><p>
  <em>How is his hair already dry? Markings covered? Contacts? He never gets his contacts in that quick!</em>
</p><p>“…your kindness is appreciated, Miss May…”</p><p>
  <em>Is that cologne?</em>
</p><p>“…anytime. And you smell nice, Dear. What is that…”</p><p>Kagome’s look darkened. <em>Definitely cologne.</em></p><p>“Kagome?”</p><p>Her head snapped up, eyes widening as she was caught lost in her thoughts. “Sorry. Got a little distracted.”</p><p>Miss May laughed and patted her hand. “It’s okay, Dear. Handsome husbands are distracting.” She gathered her basket and threw another smile her way. “You’re a lucky girl.”</p><p>Sesshoumaru spun on his heel, suddenly needing to wash his hands, and Kagome’s lips twisted into a wry grin. “He’s distracting alright.”</p><p>May was spared the brief turn of his head, flashing red eyes, and bared fangs.</p><p>
  <em>Still cranky.</em>
</p><p>Kagome laughed and took her friend’s arm as she headed for the door. “Will we see you Friday?” She heard the water shut off and Sesshoumaru’s footsteps following behind them.</p><p>“I’m still good for Friday as long as you all are, Dear. Is there anything I can bring?”</p><p>“Just yourself.” Sesshoumaru’s voice was oddly quiet as he reached for the door.</p><p>Craning her neck back to look at him, a little of Kagome’s ire melted when she saw the gentle look he was giving the old woman. She couldn’t begrudge anyone that, especially not May.</p><p>Old but deceptively strong arms suddenly swallowed her in a hug, and she found herself pulled back into the present moment, smiling thankfully for their neighbor. May was the closest to a grandmother she’d had in more years than she could count, and she loved her as much as the old woman loved them.</p><p>The reality of their age difference never really stuck in her mind.</p><p>“We’ll see you Friday,” she murmured. Pulling back, Kagome drummed her fingernails on the tumbler filled with tea. “There’s plenty of this if you want to swing by later and get a refill. If we’re not here, you know where the key is.”</p><p>May’s eyes sparkled. “I might just do that.”</p><p>And with that, May slipped out the door.</p><p>Kagome lingered, watching out over the front porch as her friend headed back to her house and then closed the door with a soft click. It had been a nice, short visit, but now she had other things to deal with.</p><p>Eyes narrowing dangerously, she turned around and glared at Sesshoumaru as she leaned on the jamb.</p><p>When he had the nerve to arch his brow at her, she mentally counted to ten. But unfortunately, like many men (males, whatever), he opened his mouth before she was done.</p><p>“Is something the matter?”</p><p>Eyes closing and head tipping back, she let the back of her skull knock against the wood, notes of expensive bergamot and oud invading her senses. “Is something <em>wrong?</em>” Pushing away from the door, Kagome walked up to him, face turning red as she pointed indignantly. “Look at you!”</p><p>And he did. For one brief, shiny moment Sesshoumaru glanced down at himself and then glanced back up, giving her a dubious look. “I fail to see what the problem is.”</p><p>“I get the wildebeest, and Miss May gets all <em>that?” </em>She stood on her tiptoes and sniffed at his neck, groaning as she did. “Gods, you even smell good!”</p><p>“Why are you preoccupied with wildebeests?”</p><p>Her look darkened. “Because bitchy pit bull seemed too on the nose.”</p><p>Sesshoumaru glared.</p><p>“Don’t give me that look.” When he didn’t stop, Kagome growled and threw her hands up in the air. “Men!”</p><p>She headed back into the kitchen and straight for the fridge, grabbing a slice of hummingbird cake on her way as she mumbled to herself. “Is it too early to drink?” Not finding anything suitable to go with her cake, she gave up and grabbed the milk.</p><p><em>I should drink straight from the carton and let him have a fit. </em>Opening the cupboard, she suppressed the petty thought and pulled out a glass. “Should,” she said filling it and then mouthed <em>but I won’t.</em></p><p>Grumbling, she stabbed at the cake. “Old, crabby germaphobe.”</p><p>Arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind.</p><p>Her lips tightened. “Sesshoumaru, you are going to wear this slice of cake if you don’t let go.”</p><p>She was only half-surprised when his arms tightened instead.</p><p>“Stubborn dog,” she muttered, cramming the confection into her mouth.</p><p>His deep chuckled vibrated against her ear as he pressed his lips there. “I thought I was a wildebeest?”</p><p>“You are.” Licking her lips, Kagome swallowed down the flavor of pineapple and spices and spun around to lean back against his arms. “You’re just other things too.” He scoffed, and she shoved a bite of cake in his mouth. “Good, isn’t it?”</p><p>“I cannot be all of your creatures,” he mumbled around the mouthful. “And yes.”</p><p>She laughed. Years ago, he would have never dared. “Then I’m sticking with the wildebeest.”</p><p>He made a face. “If I take you to a movie, can I reclaim my identity?”</p><p>“Oh, Sesshoumaru.” Brushing his bangs back, she fed him another bite before standing on her tiptoes to kiss him. “Reclaim what you must, but you’ll never be a morning person.”</p><p>He arched a brow as he chewed, and Kagome’s ire disappeared behind a soft smile.</p><p>“But I might love you all the more for it.”</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Another married life fic, and I thank you for reading. Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed and that it managed to bring at least a small smile to your day. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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